The rise of media streamers and total TV control

Television used to be a sedentary experience. You'd settle into the couch and try your luck with the shows on offer, racing to the bathroom during commercial breaks so you wouldn't miss a beat. But now you can pause, rewind, record and search thousands of options at the click of a button. Cable, satellite services and personal video libraries are now accessible from anywhere with an internet connection. First-run movies are beamed directly into our homes and there's a galaxy of channels to choose from. Today's media streamers also go a long way toward solving that TV "problem," helping us cut the cord, while still having access to the shows we love.

We're certainly spoiled, but it didn't happen overnight. Come along as we tour some of the historical highlights of media streaming, place shifting and total TV control.